David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

66. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence to outline the current situation with regard to the Naval Service’s fleet of ships; his plans to further upgrade the fleet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28216/24]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

85. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the current complement of Naval Service ships which are fully crewed and at sea, which can safely patrol Ireland’s Atlantic coastal waters; the number which are tied up or uncrewed for whatever reason; and his views on the matter. [28131/24]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Will the Minister outline the current situation with regard to the Naval Service’s fleet of ships, plans to upgrade, how many ships are seaworthy and so on?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 85 together.

The Naval Service is currently adopting a three-ship operational posture, which sees the four P60 class vessels on patrol in operational rotation. The decision to reduce the number of operational ships was made as a result of the previously acknowledged recruitment and retention difficulties in the Naval Service, in particular for specialist positions. The following ships make up that operational posture: the LÉ Samuel Beckett, the LÉ James Joyce, the LÉ William Butler Yeats, P63, and the LÉ George Bernard Shaw. In addition to the four OPV classes, the LÉ Róisín is currently in operational reserve while the LÉ Niamh is in the process of completing a mid-life extension programme, after which she will enter operational reserve. Two inshore patrol vessels were purchased on a government-to-government basis from New Zealand in 2022 and were delivered to the naval base in Haulbowline in May 2023. The LÉ Aoibhinn, P71, is subject to final assessments and completion of any necessary works to ensure that it will be operational by the end of July. The deployment of the LÉ Gobnait, P72, will follow entry into operational service later this year.

There is no easy fix to the current retention and recruitment challenges facing the Naval Service and the wider organisation, which are well documented, but the commitment, courage and excellence of our serving members is clear. I am committed to radically overhauling both the built environment and working conditions for the men and women of the Defence Forces throughout the country. I am ramping up investment in every aspect of the Naval Service in order to address the current recruitment and retention issues. Earlier this year, I announced the doubling of the patrol duty allowance paid to Naval Service personnel. This measure took effect from 1 January 2024. This measure provides greater clarity on the overall package available to our Naval Service personnel and potential recruits.

There are a number of initiatives currently under way to counter ongoing staffing challenges. These include bespoke Naval Service recruitment advertising to augment the ongoing recruitment campaign, which remains open throughout the year. Proposals for direct entry competitions within the Naval Service have also been progressed and implemented. I have instructed that the recruitment function for the Naval Service be outsourced in line with the recommendations in the CPL report. Third, a contract has been awarded to a marine recruitment specialist company to target individuals with the skills and expertise required by the Naval Service. A seagoing naval personnel tax credit of €1,500 has been further extended into the 2024 tax year. A further increase in the retirement age to 62 years will be made when relevant enabling primary legislation is introduced by the Department of Public Expenditure National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.

This will greatly enhance retention levels.

There has been a substantial capital investment in my Department, with over €147 million worth of Defence Forces infrastructure development plan projects currently under way. Many of these are specific to addressing operational and living-in accommodation requirements. Some €97 million worth of projects included in the IDP relate to naval base infrastructure projects, which are at various stages of the design and procurement process. My focus remains on stabilising the numbers of personnel in the Defence Forces and thereafter increasing strength to meet the agreed level of ambition arising from the report of the Commission on the Defence Forces.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Will the Tánaiste comment on reports about his plans to purchase a multi-role vessel, perhaps with helicopter capability, to replace the LÉ Eithne? Would he agree with me that it would be very important to have a vessel that can actually carry helicopters, especially in light of what happened recently in Cork where a large shipment of drugs was captured using a land-based helicopter? Does he agree it would be important to have one that will be based on, and can be deployed from, a ship? Where are the plans to purchase a multi-role vessel?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

We are proceeding with that but as with the purchase of any major defence platform and complex project, it requires the finalisation of required capabilities to enable the specification of requirements to be defined before a tender competition can go to the market, and work is ongoing in this regard. An estimate of the cost of the MRV will only be known, of course, once the tender competition is concluded. It is important to note that while the MRV will operate as a naval asset, its role is very much a whole-of-defence one, with the capacity to contribute to the wider maritime domain. The project is being progressed as a major project under the infrastructure guidelines. These are projects with an estimated capital cost in excess of €200 million. A prior information notice published in January gave an estimate of €300 million for the MRV. This estimate, which is based on an independent assessment, was provided for guidance purposes only for the prior information notice.

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Will the Minister comment on whether if he feels it is important that such a vessel could carry helicopters? What other tasks would he envisage such a vessel performing? We have seen reports in the past of hospital ships, ships that can carry out rescue missions such as those we have had in the Mediterranean in the past, and ships that can carry cargo and so on. Will he give us an outline of what his thinking is with respect of the tasks such a vessel might perform, in particular with respect to the aerial capabilities of carrying helicopters that can be deployed as we have seen recently?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Again, those specifications are being worked on but the multi-role nature of the vessel is important. Drug interdictions generally are intelligence-led. They have been extremely successful in recent years, notwithstanding all the negative commentary. The bottom line is that the Defence Forces, including the Naval Service, the Air Corps and the Army Ranger Wing, worked exceptionally well together and were instrumental in a successful and highly publicised seizure of the largest cocaine haul in the history of the State from the vessel MV Matthew in September last year. An Garda Síochána, of course, and Revenue worked with them as well. Yes, a multi-role vessel would give extra capacity, safety and backup without question. Given what we discussed earlier in committee today, the whole area of maritime surveillance and indeed security as regards subsea cables and so on, clearly it can be deployed in different roles.

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Ceann Comhairle)
Link to this: Individually | In context

We return to Question No. 63. My apologies to Deputy Moynihan. I had not been made aware he was taking Deputy Haughey's question.